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Michael Hunter, MD on Medika Life

Could Cancer Hold the Key to Preventing Alzheimer’s?

A study shows that people with cancer may have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias.

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I recently discovered a study showing that people with cancer may have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias.

The observational study, which followed a large group of older adults, discovered this:

Individuals with cancer were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those without cancer.

The association appeared consistent across several common cancer types, including breast, prostate, and lung cancer.

Study Details

This study utilized a large population-based cohort analysis drawing from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), encompassing 3,021,508 individuals aged 60 and older.

Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash

Researchers collected data over 30 years (1988–2018).

Study Results

After an average follow-up of 9.3 years, individuals with cancer exhibited a one-quarter (25 percent) lower risk for dementia than the rest of the cohort.

Here are the key findings:

  • Overall, cancer was associated with a lower risk of dementia.
  • This association was observed regardless of whether cancer developed after database entry or was present at entry.
  • When accounting for the competing risk of death, the protective effect of cancer against dementia was even more pronounced.
  • Specific cancer types, including breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, and melanoma, were all individually linked to a significantly lower dementia risk (lower risk from one-third to one-fifth).
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

My Thoughts

The researchers are not sure why cancer may be associated with a lower Alzheimer’s disease risk.

The authors acknowledge some study limitations, including the potential underreporting of dementia.

We need more research to confirm these observational findings.

For now, here are some things we all can do to reduce our Alzheimer’s disease risk potentially:

  • Eat a healthy diet.
  • Get regular exercise.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Don’t smoke.
  • Limit alcohol use.
  • Get enough sleep.
  • Manage stress.
  • Stay socially connected.

If you have cancer, it is important to talk to your doctor about ways to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

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DiseasesCancersNeurologicalEditors Choice
Michael Hunter, MD
Michael Hunter, MD
I received an undergraduate degree from Harvard, a medical degree from Yale, and trained in radiation oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. I practice radiation oncology in the Seattle area.

Michael Hunter, MD

I received an undergraduate degree from Harvard, a medical degree from Yale, and trained in radiation oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. I practice radiation oncology in the Seattle area.

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